The Health Care Ecosystem: Evolution, Structure and Current Issues

1 Course Unit

This course provides an application of economic principles to the health care ecosystem, focusing primarily on the US health care sector. By recognizing the importance of scarcity and incentives, this course will focus on the critical economic issues in producing, financing, and delivering efficient and equitable health care. In particular, the course will discuss the tension between cost, access and quality of care; analyze the determinants of demand for medical care; discuss the role of health insurance and the complexities it brings; study the unique role of physicians in guiding and shaping the allocation of resources in medical care markets; and analyze competition in medical care markets, especially among hospitals. Special emphasis will be placed on the evaluation of policy instruments such as government regulation, antitrust laws, and public health programs. Knowledge of calculus and basic microeconomics is highly recommended. Students who take HCMG 3220 may not also take HCMG 3520 for further credit. 1 Course Unit